What is “Big Brothers of London, Inc.”?

Big Brothers is an organization dedicated to helping in the development of children growing up in primarily lone-parent families.

There are over 650,000 boys in Canada who live with no parent. Not all of them need or want an adult, male mentor in their lives, but many do. These are the children we serve.

Reseach has shown the impact a mentor can have on a child.

• Over 80% of former Little Brothers attained at least a secondary school diploma, compared to 60% of other people in their own age group.
• 78% of former Little Brothers who came from a social assistnace background do not rely on social assistance as adults.
• Project Impact, Social Planning Council of Hamilton and District, Hamilton, 1994
• Little Brothers and Sisters were found to be 46% less likely to initiate drug use than kids studied in the control group.
• Little Brothers and Sisters were found to be 27% less likely to initiate alcohol use than kids in the control group.
• Little Brothers and Sisters were found to be one-third less likely than kids in the control group to hit someone.
• Little Brothers and Sisters were 52% less likely to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class at school.
  • Making a Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Public/Private Ventures, USA, 1994

Big Brothers of Canada has developed to the point where today there are approximately 160 agencies across the country. Each agency has a Board of Directors made up of a cross section of members of the community. These Boards employ staff, including social workers, who carry on the day to day casework of the agencies.

Who are Big Brothers?

A Big Brother is an adult from any walk of life, married or single, with or without children, who volunteers 3 - 4 hours each week as a friend to a child.

Who are Little Brothers?

A Little Brother is a child, generally between the ages of 6 and 16, growing up in a lone-parent family. To be in the program the boy must want a Big Brother as a friend. The parent of the Little Brother must want the friendship for the child too.

Big Brothers of London operates by a set of National Standards to include a Child Safety Training Program wich is administered to all Little Brothers in the program.